Stapling head



Dc. 23, 1941. M. s. LVOPES, JR

STAPLING HEAb Filed April '7, 1959 s Shets-Sheet 1 in Kiwi/writi INVENTOR. MA IVUEL 5. LQPES, JR;

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 23, 1941. M. s. LQPESQJR 2,267,206.

STAPLING HEAD Filed April 7, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. MANUEL 5. LQPES, JR.-

. BY'V/MKQM ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 23, 1941 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,267,206 STAPLING HEAD Manuel S. Lopes, J12, Alameda, Calif. Application April 7, 1939, Serial No. 266,555

13 Claims.

My invention relates generally to stapling apparatus and more specifically to a'stapling head forstapling together the walls of a box or the like.

'Ihe principal object of my invention is to provide improved means for sequentially forming a'staple from a continuous wire and driving said staple around a box corner.

Afurther object of my invention is to provide a stapling head wherein rotary formers and driversare employed to form and drive a staple around a box corner. 7

Another object of the invention is the provision; in a stapling head of means for guiding the staple ends toward the sides of the box corner during the driving-operation.

Stil another objectof my invention is the provision of a stapling head of simple construction yet highly efiicient in operation.

My invention possesses numerous additional objectsand features of advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, will become apparent upon perusal of the following description. It is to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of the species of my invention since I' may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims. q

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a stapling head incorporating my inventi on.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the head taken along the line 2-2 of Figure'l. t

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the stapling head with the front plate removed so as to show the relation of parts after the staple legs have been formed in the wire.

Figure 4 is a fractional elevational view similar to Figure 3 but showing the relation of parts after the staple has been driven around the box corner;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the head taken along the line 5-5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the formers and drivers as they appear when moved into the position shown in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 but with the parts moved into the position shown in Figure 4.

Figure 8 is an elevational view looking at the back of the stapling head when the parts thereof have been moved into the position shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the clinching blocks showing the angulardisplacement-of the clinching grooves in the faces thereof.

Broadly stated, the structure of my invention comprisesa frame preferably of cast construction which has its bottom portion cut -away to fit a corner of a box or container. Means is-provided on the frame for-positioning a wire across: the apex of the box corner and a movable anvil carried by the frame is provided to underlie tlie wire. A movable element slidablydisposedin the frame is also provided. Forming means prefer-"- ably'rotatably mounted on the frame and actuated by the first movement of said movable element is provided for bending the wire over theanvil to form staple legs in the end portions thereof and means is provided for withdrawing the anvil from beneath the wire after thestaple legs have been formed. Means preferablyro tatably mounted on said frame is also providedwhich is adapted to be actuated by further movement'of said movable element to bend the inter? mediate portion of the wire aroundthe apex of the box corner and to simultaneously "drive the staple legs into the sides of the corner, while ra. silient; means is supplied for returning the form; ing and driving means to their normal position.- In greater detail and with reference to the pre ferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the structure of my invention comprises a frame or housing generally indicated by the numeral I'l This frame is preferably of cast construction "and is formed with a back member I2 having integral side walls l3 rising therefrom to which movably secured by means of 6"... cap'screws 14 a front plate Hi. There is thus formed a passage l1 extending longitudinally through the frame which is enlarged at its lower portion H by are; ing the side walls outwardly about a common center. The bottom portion of the frameis cut away as at l9, see Figures 1, 3 and 8,to receive abutting sides 2| and 22 of a box corner. (On one side of the frame and preferably formed integrally therewith I provide a U-shaped arrn' 23 having a clamping plate 24 secured .theretoTlSy means of bolts 26 for securing the frame'tofa suitable support.

Means is provided for positioning a wire across the apex of the box corner. For this purpose I. provide one side wall l3 with an annular aper tured boss 21 adapted to threadedly receive a sleeve 28 which in turn supports a member'i ll, preferably of tempered steel having a 'lon'gi positioned across the portion ill of passageil'l:

directly above the apex of the box. I provide the sleeve 28 with a hexagonal head 32 by means of which the sleeve may be turned in the boss to advance or withdraw the same therein or therefrom. The sleeve is adapted to threadedly receive, at one end, the member 29 and is thereby connected for movement therewith as well as relative thereto; thus the inner end of the member 29 may be adjusted with reference to the inner face of the wall l3. To look the sleeve 23 and member 29 against relative movement, a lock nut 33 threaded on the member and adapted to bear against the head 32 of the sleeve is provided. Turning of the sleeve in the boss is prevented by means of a set screw 34 threaded through the side of the boss.

Disposed within the portion I provide a pair of formers 36 of segmental shape each having a peripheral flange 31. The formers are positioned for rotation about a centrally apertured hub 38 formed on and projecting from either face of the back member I2. It will be observed that the periphery of each flange is in sliding contact with the inner face of the arcuate-shaped portion H! of the passage and that the combined thickness of the flange and former is substantially equal to the width of the passage. Each flange where it joins the former is provided with a groove 39 which is extended across the lower end of the flange and forms a track in which the wire may slide. I prefer that the formers be of such character as to be interchangeable so that if they wear unevenly they may be interchanged and maximum use and efficiency secured.

A pair of rotary hammers 4! are provided, each of which is also preferably segmental in shape and is provided with a spindle 42 one of which is journaled in the aperture of hub 38 and the other in an apertured hub 43 formed on the front plate It of the frame. The thickness of the hammers is substantially equal to that of the flanged portion of the formers, and the peripheries of the hammers are disposed for sliding contact with the inner face of the flanges 31-. Each of hammers M is provided with a bead 44 onits periphery which is adapted to slide in the groove 39 of its adjacent flange 31; and extending along the bottom edge of the hammers adjacent the face of the formers and in line with the groove 39 as extended across the end of the flanges I provide a channel d6. This channel in combination with the grooves 39 on the end of the flanges serves, when the formers and hammers are positioned as shown in Figure 1, as a continuous track to guide and direct the wire 3| across the portion 18 of the passage. In order that this directing may be positive I prefer that the member 29 and sleeve 28 slant upwardly in the boss 2'! at a slight angle so that the end of the wire will tend to ride in the track under a slight pressure as it passes therealong.

In order to normally place the formers and hammers in the position illustrated in Figure 1, I prefer to provide each former with a leg 41 which projects through an arcuate slot 48 formed in the back member I2. A spring 49 connects this leg to a fixed lug 5! on the frame and serves to resiliently hold the former in its normal position. The hammers on the other hand are each provided with a leg 52 which projects through a similar slot 53 in the front plate. A spring 54 connects leg 52 to a fixed lug 56 on the frame and likewise holds the hammers in their normal position.

l8 of the passage aecaeoe Means is provided for actuating the formers and hammers. For this purpose I provide a movable element generally indicated by the numeral 51 which comprises a pair of spaced head members 58 and 59 journaled on a supporting shaft 61 the latter being adaptable for connection to any well known type of reciprocating mechanism which, since it forms no part of the invention, is not shown. Secured to the head members in any well known manner, such as by rivets 62, depends a driver 63 which is slidably disposed in the passage ll of the frame and is adapted to be so positioned that upon its downward movement in the frame the lower end 64 thereof, which is shaped as best shown in Figures 3 and 4, will contact the top edges of the hammers 4| and force them to rotate on their spindles 42.

A second driver 66 connected to the head members and supported adjacent the first mentioned driver in such manner as to permit the drivers to move relative to each other is provided for actuating the formers 36. The lower end 66 of driver 66 is shaped similarly to driver 63 and slidably contacts the edges ofv the formers to cause their rotation. Here the head members are provided with rearwardly projecting integral shoulders 61 and the upper portion of driver 66 with rearwardly projecting tongues 68. The shoulders and tongues are suitably apertured to slidably receive rods 69 which are secured against withdrawal by means of fixed washers H on one end and nuts 12 on the other. A coiled expansion spring 13 is disposed around each rod with one end bearin against the shoulder and the other against the tongue 68 and serves to maintain the normal relative positions of the drivers and permits, upon compression,- relative movement therebetween.

A finger 14 journaled on the shaft 6l' between the head members is disposed to swing in a slot 16 formed in driver 63. The distal end of the finger is provided with a shoulder 11 adapted to normally ride upon the top end of the driving member 65 in which position it is normally held by the resilient arm 18, the latter being secured to the head'members by means of screws 19. The body of the finger adjacent the shoulder is provided with an angularly disposed portion 8| which is adapted to bear against a roller 82, the latter being suitably mounted for rotation and supported in a block 83 formed on the back portion 12 of the frame. It will be observed that as the finger with its associated movable parts moves downwardly, the angular portion 8| thereof will contact the roller in such manner that the finger will be crowded outwardly against the tension of the resilient arm 'IBuntilthe shoulder 11 is displaced from the top of the driver 66. This driver can then remain stationary While the other parts continue further downward movement. To prevent the finger from contacting the frame and interfering with further movement of parts, I provide a slot 84 in the upper portion of the front plate l6 through which the finger may freely swing.

Means is provided for cooperation with the formers to form staple legs in the end portions of the Wire. In this connection I provide a movable anvil 85 preferably formed in two parts to permit its placement beneath the wire on either side of the box corner. A supporting arm 86 preferably formed integrally with and extending laterally from the anvil is provided in its medial portion with a shaft 81 the ends of which are journaled in cars 83 formed on the front plate 16 of to position the anvil beneath the wire and ham mers and between the flanges of the formers;

that as the formers are rotated by the downward.

movement of the driver 66 the wire is sheared off against the end of the tempered steel member 29, and the end portions of the wire are bent downwardly by the former flanges 31 over the side of the anvil to form the staple legs; ,The' formers then continue their movement until they rest against the sides of the box corner leaving the staple in the position shown in Figure 3, with the ends of the legs riding in the grooves 39 of the flanges and directed toward the sides of said corner, At this point in the path of unitary movement of drivers 63 and 66 the shoulder 17 of finger 14 is forced off the top end of driver 66 by roller 82 and thereafter driver 65 remains stationary while driver 63 continues further downward movement. At this point in the path of movement of driver 63 the button 89 of the anvil arm which is under pressure of spring 9| rides into a recess 92 formed in driver 63 and into contact with driver 66, thereby rotating the arm upon its shaft 8'! to withdraw the anvil from beneath the wire and out of the path of movement of the hammers. As driver 63 continues its downward movement the hammers are actuated to bend the intermediate portion of said wire around the box corner and simultaneously drive the legs into and through the sides of the corner where they are clinched upon the inner faces thereof by a pair of clinching blocks 93 each of which is preferably provided with a plurality of parallel guiding recesses 94 angularly displaced with reference to the sides 96 of the blocks in order to direct the clinched ends of the staplelat an angle to the intermediate portion of the staple. In case the box is made of Wood this angular displacement of the clinching ends substantially increases the staples' holding power and effectiveness.

After the staple has been driven aroundthe box corner it is obvious that as the movable ele ment with its drivers returns to its normal position the anvil, formers and hammers will automatically resume thepositions shown in Figure 1, and another section of the continuous wire may be positioned across the apex of the corner to be acted .upon in the manner heretofore described.

It will be noted that the ends of the staple legs when bent over the anvil by the formers rest in the grooves 39 of the former flanges and that these grooves form continuous tracks by which the staple legs are directed to the sides of the box corner; further, that the channel .6of the hammers serves to hold the intermediate portion of the wire against the face of the formers during the bending and driving operation and thereby prevents lateral movement or displacement of the staple.

Iclaim:

1. A stapling head forsequentially forming a staple from a continuous wire and driving said staple around abox corner which comprises. a

frame cut away to fit said box corner, means on said frame for positioning a section of said wire across the apex of said corner,'means for severing said wire, a movable anvil carried by said frame and adapted to extend beneath said wire, a'movabIeelement, a pair of formers mounted for limited rotation" about a common axis and adapted to'be actuated by the first motion'of said movable element for bending said wire section over said anvil to-form staple legs in the end portions thereof, means for withdrawing said anvil from beneath said wire after said legs have been formed, and a pair of hammers mounted for limited rotation about the axis of said formers and adaptedto-be actuated by further movement of said movable element to drive said legs into the sides of said box corner.

ZgA stapling-head for sequentially forming a staple from a continuous wire and driving said staple around a box corner which comprises, a frame cut away to receive said box cornenmeans on said frame for positioning a section of said wire across the apex of said corner, means for severing said wire, a movable anvil carried by said frameand adapted to extend beneath said wire, a pair of; movable drivers, means actuated upon movement of oneof said driversto'form bends adjacent the ends of said staple. section, {said bends being directed toward the sides of said corner, means for Withdrawing said anyilgfrem beneath said wiresection, means; actuated v upon movement of the other of, said drivers to bend the-intermediate portion of said Wiresection r un sa ex d, ul eous y. rivaisa d bendsinto the sides of said box corner, and a pair of clinching blocks each having a pluralitypf parallel clinching, uide. recesses therein disposed at an acute angle with. respectto the plane of said staple.

' 3, A stapling headfor sequentiallyv forming-a staple from a continuous wire and driving said staple around a box corner whichpomprises, a frame cut awayto fit said box corner, means on said framefor positioning a section of said. wire across the apex of said corner, means'for severing said wire, a movable anvilcarried by said frame andadapted to extend beneath said'wire, a movable element, a pairof formers journaled for rotation abouta hub formedon saidframe and adapted to be actuated by the first motion of said movable element to bend said wire section W sa anvi oif rm mle n the d pot: i n fihe eo i m a s for W thdraw a d a l from beneath said wire section after said legs have been formed, apairof aligned spindles journaled in said frame, and a hammer mounted on each Qf said spindles and adapted to be rotated therewith upon further movement of saidmov able element so as to drive said legsinto the sides rsa d o c r -r 1 Q .7

4. In a stapling head, a; pair of sgmental formers pivoted about a common axis, each of said formers having a peripheral flange, and a pair of segmental hammers pivoted about the same axis for rotation thereabout independently of said formers, said hammers lying in contacting engagement with said formers with the peripheral edges of said hammers in sliding engagement with the peripheral flanges ofsaid formers.

5. In a stapling head, a pair of segmental formers pivoted about a common axis, each of said formers having a peripheral flange, and a.

fixed Wall in sliding contact engagement with the outer peripheral surface of one of said formers and having an inletfeed opening therethrough at a point in the path of movement of said former during operation thereof.

6. In a stapling head, a pair of pivoted segmental formers adapted for rotation into temporary sustained clamping engagement against an article to be stapled, an anvil cooperating with said formers during such rotation thereof to shape a staple, and hammer means for driving said staple into such article during such temporary sustained clamping engagement of said formers against said article.

I. In a stapling head, a pair of segmental formers pivoted about a common axis, each of said formers having a peripheral flange, a pair of segmental hammers pivoted about the same axis for rotation thereabout independently of said formers, said hammers lying in contacting engagement with said formers with the peripheral edges of said hammers in sliding engagement With'the peripheral flanges of said formers, and means for sequentially rotating said formers and said hammers against an article to be stapled and holding said formers against such article until operation of said hammers takes place.

8. In a stapling head, a pair of segmental formers pivoted about a common axis and normally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement, hammer means, a wall adjacent the outer peripheral surface of one of said formers; a feed opening through said wall in the path of movement of said former to permit of the insertion of staple wire into staple forming position with respect to said formers and hammer means, means for sequentially actuating said formers and hammer means into engage- I ment with an article to be stapled and means for introducing an anvil into operative cooperation with said formers during actuation of said formers.

9. In a stapling head, a pair of segmental formers pivoted about a common axis, each of said formers having a peripheral flange, a pair of segmental hammers pivoted about the same axis for rotation thereabout independently of said formers, said hammers lying in contacting engagement with said formers with the peripheral edges of said hammers in sliding engagement with the peripheral flanges of said formers, a fixed wall in sliding contact engagement with the outer peripheral surface of one of said formers and hav- I ing an inlet feed opening therethrough at a point in the path of movement of said former during operation thereof, means for sequentially rotating said formers and said hammers in the direction of an article to be stapled and means for introducing an anvil intermediate the paths of movement of said flanges during rotation of said formers only.

' 10. In a stapling head, a pair of segmental formers pivoted about a common axis and normally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement, each of said segmental formers including a peripheral flange with a groove extending across the leading or operative end of said flange, a pair of segmental hammers pivoted about the same axis for rotation thereabout independently of said formers, said hammers lying with the peripheral edges thereof in sliding engagement with the peripheral flanges of said formers and normally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement with the leading or operative edges of said formers, a groove in the leading edges of said hammers normally in alinement with the groove in the leading end of each flange, a wall adjacent the outer peripheral surface of one of said formers, a feed opening through said wall in approximate alinement with the groove in the leading ends of the flanges and hammers to permit of the insertion of staple wire into staple forming position with respect to said formers and hammers, means for sequentially rotating said formers and hammers into engagement with an article to be stapled and means for introducing an anvil intermediate the paths of movement of said flanges during rotation of said formers only.

11. In a stapling head, a pair of segmental formers pivoted about a common axis and normally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement, each of said segmental formers including a peripheral flange with a groove along the inner junction of said flange with said former, a pair of segmental hammers pivoted about the same axis for rota-- tion thereabout independently of said formers, said hammers lying in contacting engagement with said formers with the peripheral edges of said hammers in sliding engagement with the peripheral flanges of said formers and normally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement with the leading or operative edges of said formers, a head on the pe-- ripheral edges of said hammers engaging the groove in said flanges, a wall adjacent the outer peripheral surface of one of said formers, a feed opening through said wall at a point in the path of movement of said former to permit of the insertion of staple wire into staple forming position with respect to said formers and hammers, means for sequentially rotating said formers and hammers into engagement with an article to be stapled and means for introducing an anvil intermediate the paths of movement of said flanges during rotation of said formers only.

12. In a stapling head, a pair of segmental formers pivoted about a common axis and nor-' mally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement, each of said segmental formers including a peripheral flange with a groove along the inner junction of said flange with said former and extending across the leading or operative end of said flange, a pair of segmental hammers pivoted about the same axis for rotation thereabout independently of said formers, said hammers lying in contacting engagement with said formers with the peripheral edges of said hammers in sliding engagement with the peripheral flanges of said formers and normally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement with the leading or operative edges of said formers, a groove in the leading edges of said hammers adjacent the contacted surface of said formers and a head on the peripheral edges of said hammers engaging the groove in said flanges, a wall adjacent the outer peripheral surface of each of said formers, a feed opening through one of said walls in approximate alinement with the groove in the leading ends of the flanges and hammers to permit of the insertion of staple wire into staple forming position with respect to said formers and hammers, means for sequentially rotatingsaid formers and hammers into engagement with an article to be stapled and means for introducing an anvil intermediate the paths of movement of said flanges during rotation of said formers only.

13. In a stapling head, a pair of segmental formers pivoted about a common axis and normally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement, each of said segmental formers including a peripheral flange with a groove along the inner junction of said flange with said former and extending across the leading or operative end of said flange, a pair of segmental hammers pivoted about the same axis for rotation thereabout independently of said formers, said hammers lying in contacting engagement with said formers with the peripheral edges of said hammers in sliding engagement with the peripheral flanges of said formers and normally maintained with their leading or operative edges in substantial alinement with the leading or operative edges of said formers, a groove in the leading edges of said hammers adjacent the contacted surface of said formers and a bead on the peripheral edges of said hammers engaging the groove in said flanges, a wall adjacent the outer peripheral surface of each of said formers, a feed opening through one of said walls in approximate alinement with the groove in the leading ends of the flanges and hammers to permit of the insertion of staple wire into staple forming position with respect to said formers and hammers, means .for sequentially rotating said formers and hammers into engagement with an artice to be staped, said means holding said formers in engagement with said article until rotation of said hammers occurs, and means for introducing an anvil intermediate the paths of movement of said flanges during rotation of said formers only.

MANUEL S. LOPES, JR. 

